Natural England: "What is the best way to defend our coastline?"

Further to an overview of coastal erosion and flooding:
Futures Forum: Flooding in the West Country... and coastal communities
on this evening's BBC Countryfile, Tim Collins, the head of Natural England, talked about the difficult decisions ahead about which bits of coast can be tended to:

• Coastal defences
  Over the last couple of months the British coastline has taken a battering from the sea – first on the east coast and then on the west. Tom Heap travels to Yorkshire to see some of the most dramatic consequences of the storms and find out how traditional hard defences – such as rock barriers and concrete walls – have fared against the power of the waves. Tom also looks at the growing move towards soft defences, where coastal land is sacrificed to sea when the weather is bad and tides are high. But there are some places where homes are threatened that have no defences at all. So, with predictions of more severe and frequent storms in the future, what is the best way to defend our coastline?

BBC One - Countryfile, The Lake District


These questions are being posed across the country:
Storm-hit sand dunes in Brean suffer 'worst erosion in seven years'
Emergency meeting on Pagham Beach future - Bognor Regis Observer

The South-West seems particularly vulnerable:


Sea defences may not be repaired as battle with nature is lost
By WMNlynbarton | Posted: January 13, 2014

Nature may be allowed to take its course along some of the Westcountry’s historic coastline which has taken a pounding in the recent storms.

High seas and heavy rain has left a trail of destruction in its wake, wrecking many stretches of coastal paths and battering age old rock formations.

But according to the National Trust and Natural England, a discussion is under way on whether it is worth reinstating breached sea defences in the face of a predicted increase in extreme weather events.
Sea defences may not be repaired as battle with nature is lost | Western Morning News

Natural England has been very much involved in what's been happening at the Somerset Levels:

Natural England - Home Page

It has been very concerned too at how most of England's Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) have been affected:
BBC News - Key wildlife sites hit in flooding

Natural England is advised by the Jurassic Coast team:
Coastal erosion and coast protection - Jurassic Coast

And the Jurassic Coast team has put together much of the work on Shoreline and Beach Management for Sidmouth:
Futures Forum: Sidmouth Beach Management Plan Steering Group - background
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